Warwick Awards for Personal Tutoring Excellence

2019 Winners

David Lees

Senior Tutor

School of Modern Languages and Cultures

David is a highly experienced Personal Tutor who, as SMLC Senior Tutor in 2018/19, led the School’s complex personal tutoring needs and provision with assurance. Student feedback is impressively positive and welcoming, including requests from students whose ‘home department’ is not SMLC for access to their provision. David’s grasp of the scope of the role, of students’ and colleagues’ needs is excellent as is his sense of how best to share out workloads and focus specialist knowledge, leading to a stellar support programme for students. He has achieved this through a three-part approach: personal tutoring on an everyday basis, development of personal tutoring practice in the Modern Languages department, and development of personal tutoring practice across the University.

Leanne Williams

Director of Wellbeing

School of Life Sciences

As Senior Tutor and Director of Wellbeing in SLS , Leanne has influenced how the department supports their students. Central to this is Leanne’s work on student transition, where she has used focus groups and surveys to identify core learning needs that will aid the students adjust from A Level to Year 1 UG and from Y1 to Y2. This work has had a significant impact on support and tutoring-resulting in additional pastoral tutor support and training, a personal tutor toolkit, and the development and implementation of Science 101, a module that helps students develop core learning skills that are essential for their studies. This work has been lauded, both internally by students and staff, and nationally by the Royal Society of Biology and the Assessment and Qualifications Alliance (AQA).

Zahra Newby

Head of Department

Classics and Ancient History

For Zahra, personal tutoring offers a holistic approach to the individual student, one which recognises that every student is an individual with particular experiences, qualities and concerns. Students need and value friendly support to help them identify their strengths and make the adjustment to university life. Zahra’s approach positions personal tutoring as an essential conduit, guiding students through the plentiful support which is available, and encouraging them to make the most of every opportunity. As Head of Department, she has led on implementing the new Personal Tutoring Framework, working closely with colleagues to renew Classics’ existing procedures and supported staff in implementing them to put student wellbeing at the heart of Classics’ provision.